This invention is in the field of cold chamber die casting machines. More particularly, the invention relates to an injection piston which provides improved injection, lubrication and cleaning of the injection sleeve.
The injection piston is comprised of a plunger tip, plunger tip ring, a cap to retain the plunger piston ring on the plunger tip, a lubricating chamber and a scraper and guide ring. The cap, plunger piston ring and scraper and guide ring are fastened to the plunger tip. An annular arcuate recess about the circumference of the plunger tip in combination with a series of tilted and radial lubrication nozzles form a lubrication chamber within the injection sleeve. The extent of the lubrication chamber enables a substantial portion of injection sleeve to be directly lubricated before withdrawal of the plunger tip in the injection sleeve in preparation for the filling cycle.
In cold chamber die casting, the injection piston is located within the injection sleeve of the cold chamber die casting unit. The injection piston is connected by a connecting rod to an injection piston rod to an injection unit piston. The withdrawal of the injection unit piston results in the withdrawal of the injection piston within the injection sleeve to a fill position. In the fill position molten metal is poured into the space in the injection sleeve above the injection piston. Once the dies of the cold chamber die casting machine are closed and clamped, the injection cycle is commenced. In the injection cycle, the injection unit piston drives the piston rod, connection rod and injection piston upwardly within the injection sleeve transporting the molten metal in the injection sleeve into the runners and die cavities. As soon as the molten metal in the dies is firm, the injection unit piston withdraws the injection piston to the fill position within the injection sleeve in position for commencement of the subsequent cycle.
One problem associated with cold chamber die casting machines is that during the injection cycle small amounts of molten metal escape between the inside of the injection sleeve and the injection piston or through a piston ring and form scrap on the interior of the injection sleeve. The problem results from the inside diameter of the injection sleeve expanding and contracting because of thermal expansion caused by receipt of molten metal followed by relative cooling during the injection cycle when the molten metal is removed from the injection sleeve. The injection plunger is also subject to expansion and contraction. Piston rings are also subject to thermal expansion and contraction which may result in a gap through a split ring or rings for the molten metal. It is important that scrap formed from metal be removed from the interior of the injection sleeve to prevent scoring of the injection sleeve which aggravates the problem. Scrap not removed when the injection piston is withdrawn from the interior of the injection sleeve may be removed in the injection cycle and enclosed in a casting resulting in a possible reject.
Another problem associated with cold chamber die casting machines is that the injection piston or the piston ring of the injection piston must be in sliding contact with the surface of the injection sleeve to prevent some molten metal under pressure from escaping between the injection piston and the injection sleeve. The injection piston contacts the injection sleeve during the withdrawal stroke as well as the injection stroke. It is necessary to lubricate the injection piston to prevent wear and lessen scoring by contact movement of the injection piston on the surface of the injection sleeve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,343 discloses a die cast plunger lubrication system. The plunger tip includes a lube groove through which lubrication is forced out on the forward stroke. The disclosure states that the lubricant may be output to the outer surface of the plunger rod instead of through a lube groove. U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,028 discloses an orifice located adjacent to the piston head.
In both the above inventions there is a substantial area of the plunger tip or piston head in contact with the interior of the sleeve. In both patents the lube groove or lube orifice is very small in comparison to the length of the plunger tip.
The plunger tip of the instant invention does not contact the surface of the injection sleeve. The plunger piston ring which is located in an annular recess on the front outside surface of the plunger tip is the first part of the injection piston in permanent contact with the interior of the injection sleeve, the second part is a scraper and guide ring located in an annular recess on the rear side of the plunger tip. The plunger piston ring is retained in the annular recess on the plunger tip by a cap in the form of a disc fastened to the face of the plunger tip. The contact surface between the surface of injection piston and the surface of the injection sleeve is the outer surface of the plunger piston ring. The contact surface of the plunger piston ring is substantially less than that of the contact surface between the plunger or plunger tips disclosed in the above patent. The lubrication chamber and associated annular radial and tilted pressurized air and lubrication nozzles apply pressurized air and lubrication directly to a substantial portion of the injection sleeve initiated upon withdrawal of the injection piston.
Japanese Patent 8,068,257 discloses the use of a series of split rings located side by side on a plunger tip to decrease the surface to surface contact between the injection plunger and injection sleeve. The plunger piston ring of the instant invention does not provide a continuous passage through the ring as does a split ring. The plunger piston ring of this invention is comprised of a ring of tool steel in which a series of parallel alternately disposed inclined slots are cut alternately in the front side and rear side of a ring of tool steel. The inclined slots proceed two-thirds to three-quarters of the distance through the plunger piston ring. The parallel alternate inclined slots result in a plunger piston ring which is flexible without providing any opening extending completely through the plunger piston ring. The plunger piston ring acts as a guide for the plunger tip which is not in contact with the inside of the injection sleeve. The surface area of the plunger piston ring in contact with the surface of the injection sleeve in less than the surface contact of plunger, plunger tips, combined plunger tips and rings or series of plunger split rings used in combination disclosed in the prior art. The lesser surface area contact results in less metal to metal contact between the injection piston and the injection sleeve during each cycle.
The injection plunger of this invention provides a plunger tip having an annular lubricating chamber commencing behind the plunger piston ring. Forwardly tilted nozzle holes blow pressurized lubricant and air at the interior of the injection sleeve in the vicinity of the plunger piston ring. Radial nozzle holes blow pressurized lubricant and air directly at the surface of the injection sleeve are also located within the annular lubricating chamber. The lubrication and pressurized air blow commences while withdrawal of the injection plunger is initiated and terminates when the injection plunger reaches the fill position. The combined use of tilted and radial nozzles located annularly within the lubricating chamber provides lubrication directly at the surface of the injection sleeve facing the annular lubricating chamber.
Immediately to the rear of the lubricating chamber is a scraper and guide ring whose outer diameter is less than the inside diameter of the injection sleeve. The scraper and guide ring serves to remove metal scores located on the inner wall of the injection sleeve. The rear of the lubricating chamber is vented to the outside by a series of circular openings defining cylindrical conduits through the back of the plunger tip. The series of cylindrical conduits have longitudinal centerlines parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the plunger tip, said apertures being equally spaced about the longitudinal centerline of the plunger tip commencing at the back of the lubricating chamber.
During the injection cycle as the plunger tip moves forward the scraper and guide ring removes scores from the inside of the injection sleeve which fall into the lubrication chamber. Upon initiation of piston withdrawal, lubrication and pressurized air are blown through the tilted and radial nozzles into the lubricating chamber thus driving scrap and loose lubricant out the scrap conduits in the rear of the lubricating chamber.
The injection piston and more particularly the plunger tip, plunger piston ring and cap decrease the amount of molten metal passing by or through the plunger, plunger tip or plunger piston ring resulting in a cleaner surface on the interior of the injection sleeve. The application of lubrication directly to a substantial length of the injection sleeve facing the lubricating chamber commencing proximate the plunger piston ring sleeve decreases the wear on the plunger piston ring and the surface of the injection sleeve. The quality of castings is improved by decreasing solid impurities within the injection sleeve resulting from little molten metal passing between the plunger ring and the injection sleeve combined with improved removal of solids.